Viral 'Hit a Child' Video Explained: Man, 20, Reveals Childhood Context

Thirteen years after a 7-year-old Jens became an internet sensation with his unexpected answer to a journalist's question, the now 20-year-old has finally set the record straight. The viral quote, which resurfaced at the Pukkelpop festival, stemmed from a report on "Outdoor Play Day."

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I never really wanted to hit a child.

A journalist from the local TV station TVL asked young Jens what he planned to do that day. After a brief pause, he confidently declared, "I'm going to hit a child." This peculiar statement quickly took on a life of its own online, becoming a lasting meme and a recurring joke.

The Dutch punk band Kaboutertje Putlucht even incorporated the original audio fragment into their song "Kindje slaan" (Hit a Child), released last year. The band invited the now 20-year-old Jens to perform the song live at Pukkelpop, a logical next step given the song's subject matter.

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It was Outdoor Play Day, and I just wanted to hit other kids with pillows off a bouncy castle.

Before the performance, Jens seized the opportunity with Studio Brussel to clarify his infamous quote. "I never really wanted to hit a child," he explained. "It was Outdoor Play Day, and I just wanted to hit other kids with pillows off a bouncy castle." He admitted with a laugh that even at 20, he struggles to explain it, acknowledging the explanation doesn't make the original statement sound much better.

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When I was 7, now I'm 20, and I still can't explain it.